09/01/2026
🌟The Future Echoes Contributor Throwback 🌟
Ashley Castrejon, 24 years old
"These days I have truly felt fear and confusion over our political, social, and environmental climate. This fear has morphed itself into a spiral of loss over our democratic system. Is hope enough to keep us all together? Am I crossing my fingers, banking on pure luck to ensure the safety and protection of myself and those I love? At this point, I guess, I am unsure.
As a graphic designer, I spend my days collecting, photographing, and archiving things for inspiration. My submission is a collection of phrases written to me, said to me, things I have said or have heard others say. All these words surround a beautiful four-leafed clover I stumbled across in a book I bought from a used book store. Somehow, that clover was meant for me and now I share that with the world. I guess have to put faith back into that very world. Here's to hoping it's enough, if we're lucky."
📝 Submissions are now open for the prompt, Young Southern Voting Power.
What does voting in the South mean to you? • How do you leverage your power as a young, Southern person? • What do you hope lawmakers know about your generation? • In what ways do your political actions now shape your future?
📅 Submit by Nov 2. acluofnczines.org/submit.
*This submission was collected during a previous round, prompted by 'What does voting mean to you?'*
